How To Fix A Leaky Roof In Winter

Dig out any cracked or dry caulking that isn t properly sealing adjoining surfaces and replace with silicone caulk.

How to fix a leaky roof in winter.

Shine a flashlight along the underside of the roof and look for a hole in the roof as well as areas that are wet or have been. How to repair a leaky roof from inside the house. The shingles can be warmed up with a propane torch. While temperature is below freezing at 7 degrees and ot.

Your best solution may be to just tarp off the problem area until the spring but be sure not to block off any venting pipes that vent out dangerous gasses. This will freeze the leaking water in place but you ll still need to deal with the ice dam or it will melt and start leaking again. Locate the source of the leak by examining the underside of the roof from within your attic or crawl space. Replace any missing or rotted siding above the step flashing on dormers.

Isolate areas when you run the hose. For example soak the downhill side of a chimney first then each side then the top on both sides. Recaulk the corner flashing if any areas have hardened caulk. Fix this board to your roof using a screw as a temporary anchor.

Sandwich the tarp by nailing a second 2 x 4 board to the first. You can t fix a leaky roof from the inside so don t even try. This step ensures the tarp stays taut and fully protective. If you plan to replace shingles in the winter it can be done but you have to add something to bond the shingles together.

If a leak is difficult to find enlist a helper and go up on the roof with a garden hose. The purpose is to keep the shingle tabs down in high winds. Locate the leaking source and search for the damaged or missing shingles and make a list of the areas to be repaired. Identify the potential source of the leak.

You nail shingles to the roof of course but each shingle has a tar strip on it that causes it to stick to the shingle that overlaps it. To stop the leak use a long handled roof rake to remove snow from your roof or blow cold air onto the area of the roof that is leaking in your attic using a box fan. Now is a time when you can start planning if you know where to start. Make use of the flame carefully on the curled shingle edges.